A Little Birdie Told Me
by theonewhocouldnthandleit
Summary: Emma grew up her whole life on a resort that her parents owned in California. Between swimming in the pool, hanging out with her best friend, Ruby, and watching the world-renowned golf tournaments held at the resort, life was pretty good. That is, until her parents hired Killian Jones, the most annoying boy she had ever met who was determined to drive her crazy.
1. Chapter 1

It all started when she was 13.

School was finally over for the summer, and Emma Nolan had no plans but to relax. It kind of helped that her parents owned the nicest resort in the state of California where she could hang out for free, and that she was basically treated like royalty by the staff. Having grown up with them her whole life, the workers were like a bunch of aunts and uncles who spoiled her, but now that she was old enough, Emma's parents, David and Mary Margaret, had allotted her more freedom while enjoying the resort's facilities.

Emma was also ecstatic because for the first time, her best friend, Ruby Lucas, would be staying with them for the entire summer instead of just the final two weeks. They couldn't wait for nights of campfires on the beach just down from their seaside suite, and the long, sweltering days made for lounging in one of the resort's five crystal clear pools.

And that is exactly what they did. Sipping their sweetened iced tea while dipping their toes in the cool water, ogling the cute lifeguard, Graham, that Emma's father had hired two years prior, and tanning on the beach while the sun beat down on their backs… life was pretty good. The best friends also had time to discuss their plan for their favourite part of the summer, the insanely popular golf tournament that was held at the resort that Emma had managed to qualify for.

Emma's grandfather had been a professional golfer and after having retired, he took his earnings and built a 500-square kilometre resort and spa. Because of his love and passion for golf, he created a special tournament unlike any other in the world that lasted two weeks, and there were 4 different categories: youth, amateur, retired, and professional. Over the final two weeks of August, 20 golfers in each category competed, and the winner at the professional level won one million dollars to donate to their charity of choice. While there were no direct winnings for anyone in any of the categories, it was a great event to raise awareness for charities, to network, make connections, get noticed or even collect sponsors. The youth and amateur categories were always bursting with new talent and many found it inspiring to stay and watch the professionals and retired pros battle it out on the greens in the final week.

This year marked the first year that Emma could qualify to participate at the youth level. With both her parents being golfers, having competed against each other in a co-ed tournament only to end up falling in love by the end, Emma had had a golf club in her hand since she could walk. She practiced on her parent's course all the time and had made them extremely proud when she announced that she wanted to train to qualify for the tournament that year.

Ruby was the obvious choice for a caddy; she'd grown up right beside Emma on the course, knew the greens inside-out and Emma trusted her completely. Although Ruby never considered taking golfing to the competitive level, she enjoyed the outdoor aspect of the sport and just hanging out with Emma in the sun. The pair bonded together and qualified in the youth category, which ranged from ages 13 to 20, where they would finally be able to be on the course instead of cheering from the sidelines as they'd done throughout their childhood.

But that was over a month away, and while the stress was beginning to creep up on her, Emma still wanted to enjoy her summer.

"You know what, Ruby?"

"Hmm?" came the reply from the brunette lazing beside her, her voice muffled by the bright orange beach towel.

"This is going to be the best summer ever. Can't you feel it? Nothing could possibly go wrong."

Looking back, she probably shouldn't have jinxed it.

That was the summer she first met Killian Jones. Met… more like crashed into. She wished she'd never passed by the pool that night.

Emma was making her way to the recreational room in the main building of the resort to kick Ruby's butt at ping pong, and she decided to take a shortcut across the pool deck. Yes, it was technically closed late at night, but being the daughter of the owners had to have _some_ perks. So she quietly opened the gate and was making her way along the edge of the water, watching the way it rippled peacefully in the warm wind when suddenly she collided with something and went flying into the water, letting out a loud screech. Sputtering and gasping, she grabbed onto the edge of the pool and looked up only to come face to face with a boy around her age. He had raven black hair and his blue eyes looked piercing in the dark night.

"Apologies, lass, I…" _Great. An annoying accent to match his annoying face_. He reached his hand out to help her out of water, but when Emma caught sight of the small smirk he wore on his face, the one that indicated that apparently, there was something funny about this situation, she grabbed his hand and yanked him into the water. When he broke the surface, Emma was pleased to see that his smug smile had been replaced with a scowl.

"Was that really necessary?" He asked as he hauled himself out of the pool, shaking off as much water as possible.

"Did you have to knock me into the pool?" She spat right back, climbing out as well.

"In case you hadn't noticed, I was carrying a large stack of towels and couldn't see."

"No I didn't notice, actually," Emma replied, "And it's not my fault you made a stupid decision."

"How could you not see, I.." the boy faltered. "Wait a minute, how are you even in here? Patrons aren't allowed in past 11:30. I could report you, you know." Clearly thinking he'd gained some ground in the argument, he puffed his chest slightly and stared her down.

"You want to go tell my parents that I'm in one of their resort's pools past visiting hours, be my guest. I think I can handle them." Now it was Emma's turn to be smug, and the shock on the boy's face was worth pulling the parents card, something that Emma usually hated doing. She'd known this boy for all of thirty seconds and he was already bringing out the worst in her.

"So you're Emma, then," he recovered quickly. Emma momentarily forgot her ire when she found out he knew her name. "I'm Killian Jones. Your father mentioned we were the same age and may potentially become friends while I work here over summer." Emma scoffed loudly. If there was any way her father thought she could be friends with this self-righteous, stupid boy, he was sorely mistaken.

"Friends? Are you kidding? After you knock me into the pool and then sass me? I don't think so." Emma crossed her arms and gave him her best glare.

"That's fine with me, princess." He shot back. "And just because your parents own the place doesn't give you the right to be rude. It was an _accident_." The boy bent over to pick up all the towels he'd dropped.

"I am _not_ a princess," Emma growled.

"Perhaps not, but as you so elegantly flailed into the pool, I must say you're as graceful as a swan."

How was it possible that this Killian Jones already knew just which buttons to press to piss Emma off? Seething, Emma turned without a reply and headed back towards her suite to change.

"Until next time, Swan!"

Emma wanted to rip his head off.

And this dynamic continued for years. Every summer, Killian and his friend Robin, who the Nolan's also hired, would bug Emma and Ruby to no end, but they also cheered the loudest for the two of them in the golf tournaments. Sometimes, they would even play two on two when the guys had an evening off. The girls always won, but the British boys improved drastically over the years.

When they were 17, things started to change. The teasing and taunting began to lose its ill-heartedness and they became friends, in a way. Emma and Robin became very close, but it was harder for her to connect with Killian. Maybe it was the way one of them would always take the argument too far, or the way they would storm off without resolving their issues. Whatever it was, Ruby and Robin didn't dare come between the stormy mess that was their relationship.

There were other changes too, inevitable changes, at 17.

Emma was jogging along her favourite path, the well-maintained one that ran along the outside of the golf course, her music blasting in her ears. It was a hot, July morning. Emma had no idea how it could be so hot when the sun had just barely peeked over the edge of the trees, but she knew wearing a full shirt would be way too uncomfortable. Instead, she wore her regular jogging pants and opted for her tricoloured sports bra. It made way for a nice breeze to cool the sweat that formed on her back.

Jogging in the morning also meant that no one else would be up to disturb her. Or so she thought. Which is why the sharp cry of "Fore!" almost made her fall over, but after getting over her initial shock, she knew exactly where it had come from. Yanking her ear buds out, she turned around to see none other than Killian swaggering slowly towards her with a grin on his face.

"What the hell, Killian!" Emma marched up towards the sand pit where he had been raking. She grabbed the rake from his hands and threw it to the ground. She didn't care if it was childish, he was the one who was acting like a child. "What is your problem?"

Emma hadn't realized how tall Killian had grown over the last 4 years, but suddenly standing so close to him, she had to look up just to meet his eyes. She also realized that she was now standing in front of her sworn enemy in nothing but some leggings and a sports bra. And he wasn't exactly backing away.

"No problem here, Swan," Killian replied cheekily, his eyes darting down for but a moment before flickering back up to hers. The nickname has stuck, unfortunately. Emma rolled her eyes and shoved him in the arm before promptly turning around and continuing her run. There were plenty of other paths at the resort, she would just have to find another route.

Later that summer, Emma found her payback. While wading in the shallow end of the pool one night, she and Ruby spotted the guys sitting in the hot tub, soaking after a long day of caddying, and they felt like they were 13 again with the plan they were hatching. After a quick trip to the kitchens, ever so quietly, Emma and Ruby snuck up behind them and dumped ice water on the boys' heads. They shouted and shot out of the hot tub, whipping around to see the girls shaking with laughter.

"Lucas! Swan!" Killian and Robin chased after the squealing pair on the pool deck, careful not to slip on the wet surface, before tackling them both into the deep end. As they all clambered out of the pool, Killian didn't know what possessed him, but for a brief moment, he couldn't help but watch the way Emma gracefully pushed herself out. She really had grown into his nickname for her.

While Robin and Ruby went to get towels for everyone, it was inevitable that Killian and Emma began to bicker. But for the second time in two minutes, for some strange reason, he tuned out whatever nonsense she was spewing at him this time and noticed the little goosebumps from the cold that appeared on her chest and arms that her bikini did little to cover. And the way her wet hair framed her face. And the tiny water droplets that clung to her eyelashes. He realized that she was actually quite beautiful.

Not that he would ever tell her that for fear of getting punched in the face. Instead, he responded as usual with a snippy remark that caused her to storm off before Ruby and Robin could return with the towels.

Since her parents lived at the resort year-round, that's where Emma lived when she wasn't attending boarding school, and the resort Christmas party was one of Emma's favourite times of the year. They threw a huge holiday bash for all staff, guests and family that lasted all night long on December 23rd. There was dancing, Christmas-themed mini golf (because of course golf was incorporated), and more food than anyone could eat in a lifetime. Emma was particularly excited this year because it was the first time she would be bringing a boyfriend to visit the resort. She couldn't wait to show Neal all of her favourite places, and she knew he would love the gigantic Christmas tree that was always decorated with various golf-related ornaments.

As they rode into the parking lot, Emma spotted a head of familiar black hair manning the entrance to the resort lobby. It hadn't even occurred to Emma that Killian would be here. Sure, she saw him every summer, but that was as often as she could possibly tolerate the guy. It didn't surprise her, though, that he would have been invited to the party and probably to work that week. He was David's favourite employee, for some reason Emma couldn't comprehend, and was always his chosen caddy, even when there were others with far more experience.

But Emma was here to enjoy herself with her boyfriend, and she would not let one annoying staff member ruin her holiday. She linked her hand through Neal's and stuck on a smile.

"Killian," she nodded at him civilly as he opened the door and helped them inside.

"Swan," he replied, equally pleasantly, eyes dropping to her and Neal's joined hands before back up to her eyes.

The party was a huge success, and as the guests meandered back to their rooms, the staff could finally relax and do a bit of partying on their own. Soft Christmas music swayed in the background as people milled about the games room where they seemed to have congregated. Robin and his new girlfriend, Regina, moved gently to the music, wrapped up in each other and the holiday spirit. Killian looked around to see if the blonde was anywhere in the room, though she didn't appear to be.

Killian was stationed at the snacks table, and although he wasn't technically on duty anymore, he still wanted everyone to enjoy themselves. So when there were no more cups next to the eggnog supply, he put it upon himself to replenish the stack. Having rarely worked inside the main building, Killian had no idea where to find such items, but he thought he'd start with finding a supply closet. Around the corner, he heard voices, but thought nothing of it until he came to the end of the hallway. As he turned the corner, he realized he'd heard the word "mistletoe", and it was very obvious he shouldn't have come this way. Under the hanging plant, a couple of teenagers were making out; the lady was reaching up to grasp at the guy's hair and the man's hands were tangled in her blonde curls. Blonde curls? Killian couldn't help that his stomach suddenly dropped at the sight, but he could choose to ignore what that meant.

"Emma?" He meant to vocalize his shock at her disregard for public decency, it was somehow more of a croak.

"Killian?!" She quickly shoved Neal away and straightened her shirt. She was blushing a beautiful Christmas red.

"Apologies, I'll just be…" Killian turned to head back the way he came when he heard the guy he'd learned to be named Neal pipe up.

"Dude, what the hell? Why would you…" Neal started angrily, taking this way more seriously than Killian was expecting, but Killian was never one to back down from a fight. He turned back around, ready for whatever Neal was about to say when –

"Neal," Emma said softly, trying to calm him down. She glanced at Killian before facing her boyfriend once more. "We're in a public place, that was kind of inevitable. It's fine."

"Emma, it's not fine. He didn't have to…"

"Please, Neal. Just let it go?" she pleaded. They looked at each other, not saying anything. Watching the scene before him, Killian's chest felt unnaturally tight. Finally, Neal sighed and let a scowl settle on his face.

"Goodnight, Killian." She gave him a rare sheepish grin, took Neal by the hand and walked down the hall. Killian watched them turn the corner before continuing his search for the cups. He didn't get see Emma again that holiday.

A few days before Emma had to head back for her final semester of high school, her mother found her sitting with her feet in the pool, tracing lazy circles.

"Hey there, honey! Did Neal head back?" Mary Margaret wondered as she hadn't seen her daughter's beau at breakfast.

"Yeah, he went home last night so he could be with his dad for Christmas." Mary Margaret nodded and stared into the pool. "Anything else, Mom?" Emma prompted when her mother made no move to continue the conversation.

"Oh! Yes. This was left for you at the front desk," Mary Margaret explained, procuring a small package from her pocket. "No one knows who left it there. It says: 'From Santa.'" Emma took the carefully wrapped present from her mom and twisted it in her hands. It was light, red, and finished with a tiny golden bow.

"And it's not from me or your father, if that's what you were thinking. We already spoil you rotten," Mary Margaret added with a laugh. Her daughter, however, was unnaturally quiet.

Maybe Neal left her a small gift before he left? He'd already given her two great books and some chocolate, but maybe this was a little something extra. Neal was sweet, but this just didn't feel like something he would do.

Slowly, Emma undid the bow and slid off the ribbon. She peeled off the red wrapping and pried open the small lid. Her heart slammed into her throat. _What the hell?_ This was definitely _not_ from Neal. Inside lay a delicate, silver pendant with an engraving of a swan.

 _Killian._

 _ **Sorry, who is this?**_

 _It's Emma._

 _ **Ah. How did you get my number?**_

 _That's not the point. This necklace is beautiful and way too expensive. I can't accept it._

 _ **What necklace?**_

 _Don't be stupid, you're the only person who calls me Swan._

 _ **Look. I saw it, it reminded me of y0u, it was Christmas time and so I got it for you. What's the big deal?**_

 _The big deal is that I hardly said two words to you the whole holidays, we're hardly even friends, I didn't get you anything, and this must have been very expensive._

 _ **I never expected anything in return, and your father tips very well so I had some extra cash. I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable.**_

 _I just… I feel bad._

 _ **Don't, Swan. Does it fit okay?**_

 _Yeah, it's beautiful. I still feel bad though._

 _ **I'm glad it fits. Just forget who you got it from, if you want. Maybe that will help?**_

Emma didn't respond. For some reason, she didn't want to forget. She told Neal it was from her parents.

When they were 19, fresh out of their first year of college, Emma and Ruby were determined to win the golf tournament. Emma had a month and a half to get back to her peak performance, although she'd been training throughout the year to keep up her skills. After breaking up with Neal, she spent as much time on the fairway as possible and threw herself into the sport. The asshole had only been dating her because of her rich parents and had kept nagging Emma to take him back to the resort. Amidst their final fight, he admitted that that was the reason he asked her out in the first place and that no one could actually love the "Nolan princess."

With Neal out of her hair, Emma could concentrate on what she loved. She and Ruby were itching to get their first round of the summer going, and they knew exactly who they wanted to beat. Taking Emma's golf cart, they wound their way down to the staff suites at the other end of the beach from their room. Playing pranks on Killian and Robin through the years had gotten them well-acquainted with the staff area. Ruby knocked on their door while Emma waited in the golf cart. She heard the brunette talking with Robin, his accent thicker in the early morning.

"We tee off in 10," Ruby called as she made her way back to the cart. "Don't be late!"

The girls were just cleaning their clubs as Killian and Robin made their way to the tee. Emma couldn't wait to show off her skills and kick the guys' asses, but as they approached the girls, she couldn't help but notice something different about Killian. His eyes seemed bluer than usual, and a thin layer of scruff replaced the shadow that usually framed his jaw. The t-shirt he wore clung to his toned biceps, and Emma wondered how she'd never noticed it before. Killian was kind of hot.

Emma focussed back on forcefully putting her clubs back in her bag and shaking those thoughts from her head. Wherever the hell those came from, they needed to go right back. Just because he was very attractive didn't make him any less of a nuisance. In fact, it just added to his repulsion.

After a long morning of golf, and Emma's final punch to their guts on the 18th hole (a birdie, placing her 11 strokes below the rest of them), they went to the clubhouse for some lunch. Just like old times, Emma sat diagonally from Killian as to minimize her interaction with him, but before they sat down, she felt his breath tickle her ear.

"Well played this morning, Swan," he whispered huskily. "And nice necklace," he added with a shy smile. Her stomach swooped involuntarily. Around her neck lay the swan pendant she'd rarely taken off in the last year and a half. She scowled at him and took her seat.

Over the next few weeks, day in and day out, Killian must have seen Emma play over 50 rounds of golf. Part of his job was to maintain the fairway, the greens and the traps as guests used the course, so she passed him every so often. Whenever he saw the blonde, he would kick her ball backwards or call out right when she was about to swing. In turn, Emma would drag her clubs through every sand trap Killian worked so hard to rake flat. When he was close enough, he would give her suggestions which only resulted in tees flying at his head and some choice words from Emma. Though they were older, they fought like children.

With Emma so focussed on winning that year, Ruby found herself alone to enjoy the other aspects of the resort. She didn't mind, though, because she knew Emma had a very good chance of winning and that this was something she'd been striving towards forever. As for her own golf game, Ruby had also improved drastically over the years, and had really begun to enjoy the sport.

This was why she found herself at the resort's driving range one sunny afternoon with nothing but time and a large bucket of golf balls. She'd observed Emma's technique over the years and gained more confidence in her own swing as time went on. Ruby loved the way the ball would soar when she hit it just right and the sound her driver made when it connected. She was pleased when she hit one ball particularly far, and she heard slow clapping behind her.

"Beautiful drive, lass!" Killian came up to her tee and offered her a large smile. "You have excellent form." Ruby chuckled and poked at the balls in the bucket with her club.

"Thanks, Killian. I know we didn't get to talk much yesterday, but how was your year?" Ruby inquired. Emma hadn't allowed much time for conversation on the greens yesterday, but Ruby still wanted to catch up with her friend.

"It was great!" Killian elaborated on his first year at college and they exchanged similar dorm room horror stories. Ruby recounted a tale of Emma getting a little too tipsy at karaoke night, and showed him a video that Emma would surely murder Ruby for having.

"And Emma, did she have a good year as well?" Ruby's eyebrows shot up at the thought of Killian wondering about Emma's year, but she secretly harboured a hope that the two of them would stop being idiots and get together.

"It was… interesting. She did really well in her classes, but she broke up with Neal right when school started. He said was only dating her because so that he could come to the resort."

Killian had never really liked Neal from the beginning, something had always seemed off about him, but this was taking things to a whole other level. As much as he and Emma had their differences, Killian felt sick to his stomach in hearing that she had been mistreated and made a fool of by this man.

"What a bloody git," Killian mumbled. After talking for a little longer, Killian realized that he should probably be doing his job, assisting whoever was in need at the driving range, and offered to give Ruby some pointers. She happily accepted and they worked on her swing for the next hour.

Emma was just stepping out of the shower when she heard her phone ding. Ruby had texted her that she would be finishing up at the driving range in the next half hour and wondered if she wanted to go for lunch. Quickly typing a reply, Emma agreed to meet her at the range and they could head out from there.

Emma pulled a brush through her wet hair and yanked on some shorts and a t-shirt before heading up to the driving range. As she walked, she inhaled the cool air that breezed through the resort from the ocean. There was something comforting about the familiar smell of the freshly mowed grass that she'd missed during her year at college.

Examining the first level of tees at the driving range, Ruby was nowhere to be found so Emma climbed the wooden stairs up to the higher set. She made her way down the long row, until in the distance she spotted Ruby's red-streaked hair beside… Just ahead of where Emma was standing, Killian had his arms wrapped around Ruby from behind, his hands on hers as he adjusted her grip on the club and brought it back to start her swing. Emma could hear Ruby giggling and out of nowhere, Emma felt something white hot surge through her chest and settle in her gut. Since when were those two so close? Why did she even care?

She tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat made it hard. What the hell was wrong with her? Just because her best friend and the guy she hated were touching didn't mean anything. He was just helping her. And even if it did mean something, the only feasible explanation for what she was feeling was out of concern for her friend. That was it.

"So, you and Killian looked like you were getting pretty close there today," Emma commented, a weird tone in her voice as she picked at her grilled cheese. Ruby looked up from her salad and raised an eyebrow. "What's going on there?" Emma asked. Ruby laughed so hard she nearly snorted onto Emma's fries.

"Oh my god, Emma. Nothing! There is absolutely nothing going on between me and Killian. He was just helping me with my swing," Ruby supplied, her cheeks aching from the laughter. She expected Emma to laugh with her, but when she looked across the table, Emma's lips were ever so slightly curved downwards, and she was concentrating on the poking her fries with the edge of her sandwich. "Wait… are you…" Ruby teetered off, and Emma finally raised her head.

"Am I what"

"Are you _jealous_?" Ruby asked in an incredulous whisper. Emma thought back to the driving range and the feeling she'd felt in her stomach. It wasn't jealousy, it was anger, or betrayal. It couldn't possibly have been jealousy. That would mean she liked Killian, and that was absolutely preposterous.

"Why would I even be jealous? That makes literally no sense. I just want some warning if you ever decide to have feelings for that bozo." She went back to sorting through her fries, needing something to do to keep her eyes away from Ruby's questioning gaze. Ruby decided to go for the kill.

"You mean the bozo who gave you that necklace you've been wearing every day for the last two years?" Emma sputtered and gaped at her friend as she closed her hand around the necklace in question. She'd told Ruby that her parents got it for her and hadn't let Ruby take a close look at it. "I'm not that stupid, Emma. I saw the swan on it. Why would you lie to me about who gave it to you?" Ruby appeared to be more intrigued at Emma's impending answer than hurt about her friend not confiding in her.

"I- I don't know… I just…" But Emma was at a loss for words. Why had she lied? It felt like so long ago that she had received it and now, the necklace just felt like a part of her. She spun it gently in her fingers, trying to come up with some sort of answer.

"It's okay, Emma. I'm not that upset, but if there's someone here who's catching feelings for Killian, I think it might be you. You know, he's really not such a bad guy…"

"And we're stopping right there," Emma deadpanned. "He's a pain in the ass and that's that. Now let's talk about the tournament."

Sure enough, Emma Swan got her name engraved on the first place trophy for the youth division. The press had been following her progress all week and the fact that she won the tournament her grandfather created made for a great story. It hadn't been easy with two bogeys in the front nine, but she somehow managed to pull an eagle on hole 14, something she'd only ever done once while playing against the Ruby and the guys.

After sinking her last shot on hole 18 for a birdie, just like she'd done in their first round of the summer, Emma knew she'd clinched the title and Ruby ran over to celebrate. She hugged her best friend tightly, all of their hard teamwork had finally payed off. When her parents came onto the green, cameras everywhere began flashing. Her mother was crying, which wasn't a surprise, and her dad buried her in a giant hug, telling her how proud of her he was.

Next thing she knew, Robin ducked under the rope, onto the grass and swept her up in a hug. He spun her around and set her back down on the ground, a huge smile splitting his face.

"I knew you could do it! I'm so happy for you!" He enveloped her in another hug before letting her breathe for a moment. Emma finally had a chance to process what just happened and she couldn't stop smiling. Looking over at Ruby and Robin, she couldn't help but wonder where Killian was. She thought he would have… Maybe he didn't want to be in front of all the cameras? Emma scanned through the crowd and her smile fell slightly. Where was he?

Ruby and Robin exchanged glances and went to Emma's side.

"He's not here, Emma. He had to leave after hole 16," Robin explained quietly.

"Oh, I wasn't…" Emma faltered when she saw both of her friends raise their eyebrows. She felt faint tears prick behind her eyes. "Why did he have to leave?" she asked, her voice thick. The biggest moment of her entire life and he wasn't there.

 _("You triple-bogeyed three holes, I beat you by a mile."_

" _Well, love, if I'm going to lose, I'm glad I lost to the champion."_

" _Killian, I've never even won the tournament."_

" _Not yet, Swan, but you will, and I shall be there to say I told you so."_

" _Just shut up and go rake some sand or whatever."_ )

"He didn't say," Ruby answered. "He just got a phone call, left immediately and wanted you to text him the results."

"Oh." Emma stared hard into the crowd until she felt herself go back to normal. "Well, I'll text him later. Right now, we get to party!"

And party and party and party. There was a massive celebration in the clubhouse to honour the winners of the youth and amateur divisions, and to wrap up week one of the tournament. The following week, the resort was going to be insanely busy as people flew in from all over the world to watch the professional and retired pro categories of the tournament.

Emma couldn't keep track of how many congratulations she received that night, how many hands she shook, nor the number of cameras that flashed her way. It was a bit overwhelming, but having Ruby by her side helped. Her best friend loved the spotlight and helped Emma answer questions. And she had only won the youth tournament! Emma had a moment to step back and observe the amateur champion who was being smothered by even more press than she was and wondered if maybe one day she would reach that level.

After a few more hours of her parents parading her around and Ruby trying all the different snacks in every room, Emma was beat. She left early and headed back to her room. She'd lost track of Ruby at some point during the night, but Emma assumed she was still with one of the competitor's caddies, a cute brunette she'd been flirting with all tournament. At least that answered her assumptions about Ruby and Killian.

Speaking of Killian, Emma just couldn't seem to shake the disappointment she felt when he wasn't there to share the win with her. Which was so stupid, because why did she even care if he was there or not? She didn't really want to text him, but she felt like she should tell him the good news.

 _Btw I won._

It was just after midnight, so she was most definitely not expecting the fast reply.

 _ **Told you so. I'm proud of you, Swan.**_

And just like that, Emma wanted to cry all over again. What was wrong with her? This was _Killian_. This was her worst nightmare wrapped up in human form. Why did she care what he thought?

 _Why did you leave?_

Before her mind could register what her hands was doing, she'd pressed send and then immediately wished that she could crawl into a hole and never come out. The sudden sound of her ringtone made her jump. She stared at his name as it shone on her phone. Walking over to her bed, she let it ring and chewed on her lip, debating whether she should answer.

"Killian?" She hated how pathetic her voice sounded.

"Swan, I'm so sorry I couldn't be there. You have to know that there was nowhere else I wanted to be than there cheering you on." His voice was pleading, but there was a heaviness to it, a desperation that made Emma realize it may not have been his choice to leave.

"Why did you have to go?" Emma tried her best to keep her voice even, but now she was worried about him. She heard sniffling coming through the phone and the sound broke her heart. "Killian, what happened?"

"My- my brother… he died in battle across the seas this morning and- and I had some business to attend to right away…"

The line went silent, and all Emma could hear was his ragged breathing. She was stunned. That was not was she was expecting and she felt like the biggest idiot for feeling upset that he'd missed her moment when he had much bigger issues to attend to. Why didn't he tell any of them when he got the phone call? He probably didn't want to ruin the tournament for them. He was an idiot.

"Killian, I…" Emma didn't know what to say. "Where are you?"

"Just about back at the resort, love. The cab driver is just turning into the gates." Emma heard a sob escape his lips before he gasped in a few breaths.

"Do you want to come over? To talk, if you want." She doesn't know why she said it. Talking wasn't something they did. They fought, or bickered, or snapped at each other until they felt like punching the others' face. This raw, emotional side of Killian wasn't something she'd ever experienced, and she'd certainly never made any efforts to help him in any way.

"I'll be there soon." The line went dead and suddenly Emma was nervous. She figured she'd be the last person that he'd want to see to cope with everything he must be going through. She supposed that they'd become friends over the years, and while they weren't arguing, it was possible that she'd learned to find his presence comforting.

Emma was shaken from her thoughts at sound of knocking at her door. Leaping to her feet, she ran to the front and there stood Killian, as handsome as ever, but thoroughly disheveled and distraught. Without saying a word, she took the bags he was carrying and set them inside beside the door. Then, she grabbed Killian's hand and gently led him to her bed. She sat up against the headboard and patted the space next to her, waiting for Killian to climb up next to her.

Before he'd managed to settle in, he was already crying and his head fell onto Emma's lap. She still didn't know what to say, but she brought her hands up and down through his soft hair and along his back in soothing motions. Emma wasn't sure how long he stayed curled up like that, but eventually, he straightened up and took a few deep breaths.

And that was how Emma and Killian spent the next few hours, talking and crying, and Killian letting out some of the stress and pain he'd been feeling since he found out. Emma learned that Liam was Killian's last living relative and that now he was alone in the world.

(" _You still have Ruby, Robin, my parents, and you can't get rid of me that easily, Jones. I'm kind of stubborn._ ")

She also learned, over the course of the night as they talked and became more and more tired, that Killian Jones was a snuggler, something she never _ever_ thought she'd discover. At around three in the morning, listening to Killian's soft breaths, Emma felt her eyes begin to flutter shut. She shuffled down, not realizing that doing so would line her body up perfectly next to Killian's nearly sleeping form. However, even once she did realize this, she was too tired to care.

Emma rested her head on Killian's chest and felt his arms wrap around her waist. He was very warm.

After that, things changed between Emma and Killian. Where their banter used to end in screaming and hurt feelings, it now had a flirty edge to it and more often than not ended in heated looks between the two of them. They became good friends, and Ruby, Robin and the two of them became a tight-knit group. Killian now lived and worked at the resort full-time when he wasn't attending college, and Emma was pretty certain that her parents weren't charging him any rent.

For the next few years, their dynamic worked. Whether they were playing golf or hanging out at the beach in the summer, trying to outdrink each other in eggnog at the Christmas parties or sneaking swims in after hours, the four of them always had a good time. They were also there for each other when they needed it the most; helping Emma study for her criminology exams, Ruby with her relationship problems, and even convincing Robin to propose to Regina.

When they were 23, that dynamic began to falter.


	2. Chapter 2

"Swan, you can't put the angel there, that's where the tinsel will go," Killian chided Emma as they decorated the Christmas tree for the holiday bash. They were tasked with making sure to fit as many ornaments on the tree as possible without having it look too tacky. Killian's perfectionism made him quite the pain in the ass for that particular job.

"Killian," Emma whined. "It looks fine. Where else am I supposed to put it?"

"Higher, love." He pointed to a small bare patch on the left side of the tree. "Here, use the step-ladder." Killian brought it to her side and offered her an arm to steady herself. Emma grabbed his arm briefly before releasing it and reaching up with both hands to hang the delicate ornament on the tree. Wobbling slightly, Emma felt his strong hands grasp her waist and his pinkies ghosted against the sliver of skin that was exposed below the cut of her sweater. She blushed and hoped he couldn't feel the goosebumps that arose when he touched her. It happened often, with his tendency for casual touches like an arm around her shoulder or a tuck of her hair behind her ear, but Emma could never quite place the feeling behind it.

Except for now, with his hand in hers, helping her down the ladder and giving her his signature smile, Emma finally admitted to herself what it was.

Maybe she had a tiny crush on Killian. And by tiny, maybe she meant huge crush. It didn't matter either way, because whenever anything flirty happened between them, she would see him with Ruby and he acted the exact same way.

Emma would just have to shut off her feelings.

Which was easier said than done.

"Gods above, Emma, you look stunning."

Killian had never seen Emma as beautiful as she was the night of that Christmas party. Of course, she was gorgeous all the time, but this was different. She looked sexy and Killian couldn't help the way his eyes roamed over her slender figure bound in the classy red dress. It hit all the right curves and showed off just the right amount of cleavage. Her long legs were on display and her hair was so elegantly pinned up it must have been Ruby's girlfriend, a professional hair stylist, who'd done it.

"Thanks." Emma blushed. "You don't look so bad yourself," she teased.

As the night went on, Emma made the rounds with her parents and answered a few questions from the golfers who were attending. Emma hadn't yet been able to qualify for the amateur division of the golf tournament, but she was hoping to change that this year. She and Ruby were working tirelessly out on the course so that she would show up and surprise everybody.

"Mind if I steal her away Mr. and Mrs. Nolan?" came Killian's voice from behind her as she stood with her parents by the Christmas tree. They nodded and exchanged not-so-inconspicuous smiles that Killian thankfully did not see. His hand rested on the small of her back as he guided them through the crowded party to the dance floor.

Just as they made it to the middle of the mass of dancing bodies, the beat calmed and a nice slow song wafted through the air. Emma looked uncertainly at Killian who gently grabbed her hand and guided it towards his shoulder. Taking her other hand in his, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, swaying to the music. They were so close that Emma was certain he would be able to feel her heart pounding out of her chest.

Eventually, Emma relaxed, rested her chin on his shoulder, and let her head fall against the side of his. She breathed him in as they continued to sway back and forth, letting her eyes fall shut. Suddenly, a loud clang brought everyone's attention to the back of the room, but it was only one of the bells that had fallen off the tree.

"I told you we should have put that one near the bottom," Emma said, swiveling back in Killian's arms to face him. There was no music playing anymore, so why were they so close? Emma looked into his cerulean eyes and was reminded of the very first time they met at the pool. She wondered how the impish little 13-year-old had turned into this man that she'd fallen for. _Fallen for?_ Emma had indulged in too much of Killian's spiked eggnog to be considering thoughts like those.

"I need some air," she said abruptly, extracting herself from his arms, and rushing out of the room.

Once Emma made it outside, with the sweet air blowing through her curls, she headed to the west side of the building and slowly made her way towards her favourite fountain. As she approached the giant marble dolphins and the multicolour fish dancing between them, the Christmas music faded until Emma could hear nothing more than the occasional jingle of bells.

She sat down on the side of the fountain and peeled her heels off. It was easier to breathe outside in the California air, but her head was still spinning with thoughts about Killian. How could she have been so stupid? Emma had actually gone and let herself feel something deep, other than hatred, for a man she'd spent a decade loathing.

Only now, thinking back on her lifetime of knowing the guy, she realized that her mind simply picked out the worst parts of him and let the good in him pass by without another thought. Like how he was always her biggest encourager in everything she did; whether it was his voice that she heard over the crowds at the golf tournaments, calling out that she could do it, or simple things like when she took a math course over the summer and he stayed up late with her every night to study and remind her that she'd ace the tests for sure.

Or how he was always consistent with little gestures, even when Emma gave him nothing in return. She still wore the necklace he gave her all those years ago, and had begun to feel lost without it on. Emma also knew, after accidently passing upon texts between Killian and Ruby on Ruby's phone, that Killian had been the one to anonymously send her box of chocolates and a teddy bear when Neal didn't give her anything for Valentines Day.

The more Emma thought about it, the more she realized that maybe these feelings weren't as one-sided as she initially thought. Dancing with him earlier in the night, Emma wondered where things would have gone if the crashing bell hadn't interrupted their moment. She felt so safe, so cherished in his arms… what was she doing outside when the man she clearly wanted to be with was inside?

In a brief moment of rare bravery, Emma pulled her shoes back on, returned to the Christmas party and made her way through the jumbled crowd looking for Killian. She knew she would chicken out about telling him how she felt, but at least she could spend the rest of the night twirling around the room with her hand in his. Emma couldn't find him in the main room, but she knew Killian loved the Christmas treats the resort whipped up, so she decided to check the kitchens.

Rounding the corner, Emma felt her heart plummet to her stomach. Just as Killian had found her years ago, she found him pressed up against the wall, his lips fused to a brown-haired woman's. Emma's chest felt like it was going to collapse. Even after less than a second of seeing him kiss Milah Gold, Emma's golfing rival, it was already too much.

Turning on her heel, Emma felt her face go up in flames as the humiliation dawned on her. He didn't feel for her the way she felt about him. Of course not. Why would he? He probably believed Emma still hated him.

"Swan!" She almost started crying as she headed for the exit. The nickname she'd grown to love suddenly made her sick. She kept walking, keeping her eyes down as she weaved through the guests. She could faintly hear Killian calling out from behind her. Pushing open the doors, Emma walked as fast as her high heels and breaking heart would let her. She only made it a few steps before…

"Emma!" She halted and felt a tear fall. She hastily wiped it away before he caught up with her. Why should she be crying, anyway? As far as he knows, she has no reason to be upset. She felt a hand gingerly wrap around her wrist and turn her around.

"What do you want, Killian?" Emma refused to look him in the eyes with hers glossing over.

"You look upset, love." His little endearment felt like a punch to the gut. "I saw you leaving the building and wanted to check in. Is everything alright?"

Everything was not alright. Emma had been _so_ close to letting herself be vulnerable, but she's glad she didn't or else she'd feel like more of a fool than she currently did. She was done with feelings; they hadn't gotten her very far. Instead, she would focus on distancing herself, and if she had to be hostile towards the man she'd fallen for, it's not like she didn't have years of practice.

"I'm fine," Emma stated, the slight quiver in her voice betraying her.

"Well, you don't seem fine," Killian countered lightly, invading her space as he'd grown accustomed to doing in recent months.

"Well, I am," Emma bit back, surprising him with her sudden outburst.

"Bloody hell, Emma. I…"

"Just leave me alone, Killian." With that, Emma walked away.

After that, the two of them drifted apart. Killian didn't hear a word from Emma until her spring reading week, and even then, the only reason she talked to him was to inform him that her parents were seeking his help. Before he could acknowledge that she was once again talking to him, she was already gone.

 _ **Hey, give me a ring when can. :)**_

 _ **Please tell me what's wrong. Did I upset you in some way over Christmas?**_

 _ **You can't ignore me forever, Swan.**_

Emma returned to the resort early one morning near the end of April, car full of boxes and suitcases from her college days. She'd graduated that year and was eager to begin her well-deserved break. Her parents had upgraded the resort while she'd been away, and while Emma loved rooming with Ruby, she didn't envy being the third wheel in her best friend's now-serious relationship. Emma was excited to finally have her own living space where she could wake up as early as she wanted to beat guests to the golf course without being growled at by a cranky roommate.

Parking her car in the newly enlarged parking lot, Emma walked to the golf cart lot to grab her cart so she could move all of her stuff to her place. She located her vehicle in the back corner and was digging through her purse to find the keys, which were likely buried at the bottom, when she heard…

"Emma?" she stiffened. The voice that played over and over in her mind no matter how hard she tried to shut it out was suddenly right behind her, bringing with it all the feelings she'd attempted in vain to suppress.

"Killian," Emma replied as she turned around to face him. She knew she'd see him eventually, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. Now here he was, with his jet-black hair all wind-swept and his blue eyes piercing as ever, and Emma couldn't help the pain that shot through her chest. It had been nearly five months since she saw him pressed between the wall and Milah under the mistletoe, but she just couldn't seem to get over it. Over _him_. God, she felt so stupid to have fallen for Killian Jones.

"It's good to see you, Swan," Killian said tentatively, not knowing if his attempt at a conversation would be welcomed.

"You, too." It sounded more like a robot than Emma. "I have to go unpack." Without another word, she hopped in her golf cart and sped through the lot. Looking back, she would have seen the hurt in Killian's eyes and a frown in the place of his usual smirk.

He'd hoped that things would go back to normal, that the way she'd been acting since the end of Christmas was simply out of stress for school or something of that sort. Killian knew there was something bothering Emma (he liked to think he wasn't _that_ obtuse) and for some reason whatever was causing her pain had something to do with him. He was desperate to find out what was wrong so that he could rectify the situation, but Emma was so stubborn that she wouldn't have more than a two-minute conversation with him.

"Okay, Emma, what gives?" Ruby was helping Emma cook dinner at her place while her girlfriend explored the resort's finest spas.

"What do you mean?" Emma questioned as she kept her eyes on the simmering pasta sauce in front of her.

"Cut the crap. You know exactly what I'm talking about. All throughout second semester you were moody and now that we're finally on vacation, you're still in a pissy mood." Emma glared at her, but Ruby held her ground. "I tried to give you space to sort things out, but this is getting out of hand. What's wrong?" she added more gently, urging her friend to open up.

"Nothing's wrong, Ruby. I'm fine…" Emma teetered off as Ruby raised both her eyebrows in disbelief. The blonde went back to poking at the tomatoes in the sauce. "I don't want to talk about it," she admitted quietly, feeling her resolve weaken.

"Please, Emma," Ruby begged. "It hurts me to see you like this." Emma was silent, but her best friend wanted to get to the bottom of what was troubling her. "Is this about Neal? Did he try and contact you like last year?"

If only that asshole was her problem. Emma would take anger and bitterness over the ache she felt in her chest any day.

"No, it's not Neal," Emma answered. "And it's not Walsh either, I never even heard from him after that date."

"Did you have a fight with your parents?" Ruby pressed on. "Did they…" Emma's exasperated sigh interrupted her interrogation.

"This isn't about my parents, Ruby! Can you just lay off?" Emma snapped, regretting it immediately when she saw Ruby recoil.

"Geez, Emma. Sorry for caring," Ruby muttered, taking off her oven mitts and making her way towards the door.

"Wait! Ruby, I'm sorry. I…" Emma dug the heels of her hands into her eyes and took a shaky breath. When she saw Ruby turn back around, she slumped down on one of her kitchen barstools. "I… I may have a thing for, uh… oh god. I like Killian. And it's not like, some tiny crush," Emma rushed. She didn't even want to see Ruby's reaction. "But it doesn't matter because he doesn't feel the same way about me, and I know this because I saw him kissing Milah, Milah Gold, at the Christmas party this past December." Emma's eyes burned as she finally vocalized what had been troubling her for months, but she refused to cry about this in front of Ruby. "And I obviously can't tell him why I'm upset, but it hurts to be around him or even think about him so I lash out."

"Emma, I had no idea," Ruby started slowly. "I mean, I suspected, and I knew you two were close, but I never thought it was actually true."

"Did you miss the part where I said he kissed another woman?" The humour in her words was lost in the stoniness. "Just please don't tell anyone and please don't bring it up again," Emma begged and Ruby nodded diligently. She knew that Emma had to cope with this in her own way, no matter how prickly she became.

"Emma." She lifted her head to see Ruby sniffing the air. "I think our sauce is going to burn."

July went by in a breeze. Emma and Ruby, having finally qualified for the amateur division for the tournament, endlessly talked strategy and Emma basically lived at the putting green and driving range. Robin, who no longer worked at the resort and had since moved to Washington with Regina, came to visit for the month of August and to cheer them on in the tournament.

The week before the competition, people started arriving at the resort and the air was filled with anticipation. Emma shared the practice greens with some young golfers in the youth category and was reminded that this tournament really brought people of all ages and corners of the world together.

However, amidst all the excitement, Ruby received some bad news. Her grandmother, the woman who raised her and had done her best when Ruby's parents had died, had fallen ill and needed someone to take care of her. While she'd never missed a tournament in her life, Ruby was needed elsewhere.

So, just four days before the opportunity she'd been striving towards for years, Emma found herself worried sick about Ruby's grandmother, or Granny as she fondly remembered calling her, and without the only person she'd ever consider competing with.

Deciding she could wait one more year, Emma was reluctantly on her way to the tournament reception desk to withdraw when she heard her father calling her name.

"Emma! There you are. I've been looking all over for you," he panted as he caught up with his daughter. He led her over to one of the benches lining the gardens outside the lobby building. "I know you're in pain Emma, but Ruby would not have wanted you to withdraw. You know that."

"Dad, I can't do it without her. I never have."

"Emma, honey. You can do it. I believe in you, your mother believes in you. We just don't want to see you regret giving up this opportunity because you're upset. Go out there and make them proud. Do it for Ruby and Granny."

This was why Emma loved her father. He could take any bleak situation and find something in it that would make her feel okay.

"Alright," Emma resigned. "I'll stay in the tournament. But how am I going to find a caddy who knows the course like Ruby does in four days?"

"That's my girl," David replied, placing a kiss to the top of her head. "Don't worry about a caddy, I'll see what strings I can pull, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Dad." Emma leaned into his side and gave him a warm hug.

"Don't worry, Ems. Everything is going to be fine."

Everything was certainly _not_ going to be fine. When Emma had agreed to meet her father at hole one's tee early the following morning, she was not prepared for what he had in store.

Of fucking course he chose Killian to be her caddy. The closer Emma got to the pair of men in matching resort baseball caps, the more she realized that there was no way out of this. She had granted her father permission to choose her caddy, Killian and Emma couldn't exactly tell David that they were fighting (that Emma was avoiding him), and Killian probably knew the course better than the man who'd designed it, so she couldn't argue his credentials. She was trapped.

"Emma, meet your new caddy," David said, laughing at his own joke. "I thought that since you usually play against each other that you might want to fit a round or two in as teammates before the tournament." With a clap on Killian's shoulder and a toothy, proud grin for Emma, David marched up the path towards the tennis courts.

The silence threatened to strangle both Emma and Killian as they waited for the other to speak first. Emma held her ground when he looked at her pointedly, clearly expecting her to bring up the fact that she wanted out of this situation. It frustrated him to no end that she wouldn't just tell him what was wrong. How was he supposed know what to do when he didn't even know what was causing the problem?

"Come on, Swan. Out with it." Killian broke the silence in a bitter tone.

"Out with what?" Emma replied, a feeble attempt at feigning innocence.

"I know you don't want me to be your caddy, but what was I supposed to tell your father? 'Sorry, sir, I can't do what you ask because your daughter is too bloody stubborn to tell me what's troubling her and now she won't even talk to me?'" he spat, his frustration finally boiling to the surface.

Emma knew she should feel guilty, putting him through all this. From his point of view, they'd gone from good friends right back to enemies, only he still wanted to be friends. No matter how much Emma wanted to remain close to him, he was just too painful to be around. She thought that her feelings would subside in the time away from him when she focussed on finishing her degree, but the ache in her heart had multiplied.

"I'm sorry, Killian." Emma's voice was small. "I'm just… dealing with stuff and I know we've grown apart…"

"We haven't grown apart, you're pushing me away."

"I'm not…"

"Yes, Emma, you are." Killian softened and stepped forward, tucking a piece of Emma's hair behind her ear like he used to. Emma's breath hitched as he searched her eyes, hoping he didn't catch the way hers flickered to his lips and back. "Please let me help you, love. What's wrong?"

Emma got lost in deep blue eyes for a brief moment. She missed the way he used to stand close to her like this. The way where it would have been so easy just to close the gap between them and press her… _No, Emma. He doesn't feel that way_.

"Killian, I… How about I agree to stop avoiding you if you promise not to pester me about what's wrong. Will that work for you?" Emma proposed.

He looked at her for a long moment, and Emma could see the struggle behind his eyes. Closing them, he let out a big sigh.

"For now," he relented. "But perhaps not avoiding me could encompass attempting to smile every once in a while?" Killian added, trying to lighten the mood. Emma, grateful that he'd accepted her terms, gave him as genuine a small smile as she could muster before grabbing a golf club from her bag.

"Come on, we have work to do."

And work they did. Killian played a much different game than Ruby, and saw the course in a completely different way. He knew exactly where each fairway dipped and curved, and which sand traps dropped at which angles. He was passionate about the game, and so was she. Their shared love for golf, however, caused a lot of fights between them.

He would suggest different clubs than Emma had ever used on the course, and different ways to approach certain holes. Emma didn't want to switch up her entire strategy just days before the tournament, but she also knew that Killian's knowledge of the course made his opinion invaluable. The clashing of their opinions sided with the fact that they both had a mean stubborn streak made for endless banter on the greens, much to the displeasure of the other golfers. Killian didn't mind, though, for he enjoyed the challenge of being her caddy and was glad Emma was finally acknowledging his presence.

For Emma, the arrangement was manageable. While working with Killian still hurt, when she was hitting a round, the focus was purely on golf. He made insightful recommendations and helped (when she let him) with her strategy. Not only did he keep her balls and clubs clean and ready to go, he never failed to provide moral support along each hole. It reminded Emma of their younger years when she would hear Robin and Killian cheering the moment the crowd-silencers lowered their signs, only now the support came in the form of soft encouragements when she needed it and endless praise when she did well.

Emma had to admit, her father had chosen the right man for the job.

The first two days of the tournament were rocky at best. The moment Emma saw Milah at the opening ceremony, she had a bitter taste in her mouth and began shutting Killian out once again. While she was playing fairly well, during her first few rounds, Emma picked every battle against her caddy and they bickered between every hole. All the progress they had made prior to the tournament seemed to have disappeared.

The night before the final day of the amateur and youth competitions, there was a large player's banquet held in the clubhouse because not everyone could always stay for the party the night following the tournament. Emma knew that she would be seated next to Killian because they were on the same team, and she hoped that someone interesting would be on her other side so that she could ignore her caddy who was driving her crazy.

When she arrived, Emma found him already seated at their spot, tracing patterns in the condensation on his glass of water. He looked moody, and Emma couldn't really blame him. Fighting took a lot out of both of them, and the tournament was stressful enough as it was.

"Hi," she muttered as she took her place beside him, reaching for her own glass. He mumbled back a quick greeting as the tournament coordinator took to the podium set up at the front of the room. After various speeches were made, the food was served and Killian and Emma distracted themselves from each other's company by talking to the other people beside them.

"I'll be back," Killian mumbled, a little later on in the night, before making his way to the bar.

Already nursing her own drink, Emma's eyes slowly scanned the room, allowing herself to momentarily forget her troubles and focus on the joy the tournament brought to people. She spotted Henry Mills, the youth competitor favoured to win, having his picture taken and soaking in all the attention he could. Emma loved watching him play, his style much like hers when she was his age.

Eventually, Emma let her gaze flicker to where Killian was standing at the bar with… Running her hand up Killian's toned arm was Milah, making him blush like a schoolboy. Emma felt her face fall and her heart squeeze. She was usually better at controlling her emotions, but when it came to Killian, everything seemed to be multiplied and the jealousy she felt was just as overwhelming as it had been the first time she saw them together.

Suddenly the lively room felt suffocating, and Emma just wanted to go home. Quickly packing up her purse, she found her jacket on the coat rack and promptly left the banquet. Her eyes burned as she wound her way down to her suite, trying to erase the image of Milah throwing her head back in laughter at something Killian said.

"Swan!" Emma heard from behind her just as she turned up the path to her place. She kept walking.

"Goddamn it, Emma. Please talk to me," he said, catching up with her at her doorstep and stepping in front of her. He was panting. He must have run all the way from the banquet. "I know you're upset about something. You left one of your favourite parts of the tournament before it had barely started, so don't give me any of the 'I'm fine' crap." Emma avoided his eyes by staring at her feet.

"I thought you agreed not to ask me what was wrong anymore," she tried, knowing full well by Killian's tone that he didn't care what he'd promised earlier that week.

"I did, Swan, but everything was fine before the tournament and now you're back to avoiding me." He was hurt, Emma could tell, but she just couldn't tell him what the problem was without giving away everything that she'd tried so hard to hide. "What did I do in two days to trigger such ire towards me?"

"It's not about the last two days, Killian." Emma knew she should just walk into her place and not answer his questions, but for some reason she just couldn't help herself. "It's… something happened last year." She winced when she saw anger flash across his face.

"So you're telling me that you still shut me out today because of something that happened _last year_? Why the bloody hell won't you even look at me anymore?"

"Because I saw you kissing Milah Gold at the Christmas party!"

Killian raised his eyebrows at Emma's admission.

"And that merited me receiving your wrath for half a year? I know she's your golfing rival, but you're way ahead of her this year. You know I'm always on your team. And we weren't…"

"Killian, god, it's not because it was Milah. I was _jealous_ , okay?" Emma exploded. She couldn't believe she would have to spell it out for him. "You have no idea how much seeing you kiss someone else hurt. Is that what you wanted to hear? That seeing you with another woman made me feel like such an idiot?" Emma felt hot, angry tears on the verge of falling. "I was looking for you again at the party, after I went outside, because I thought… Like when we were dancing… I just thought… It doesn't matter what I thought because _clearly_ we weren't on the same page. Every time I think about that night or I see you, it's like a punch to the stomach because I'm reminded that you don't feel for me the way I do for you and it _hurts_."

Killian's face was blank. She hoped he didn't notice her use of the present tense, but she knew that he had. Great. She'd gone and ruined their friendship even more than she already had in the last few months.

"Okay, well, I'm going to go hide and never come out. Just forget I said anything, Killian." Emma felt a tear make its way down her face as she turned and started towards her door. She heard Killian moving behind her, his footsteps getting closer, but Emma didn't want to face him. She didn't think she could.

"Emma," Killian pleaded, but Emma plowed forward and started unlocking her door. It was hard to see through her watery tears.

"Emma, please," he croaked and she finally stilled, not turning around, but not making any move to go inside. "That night at the Christmas party, Milah had overindulged in the spiked eggnog and was absolutely hammered. I swear to you it was she who kissed me and not once did I think about reciprocating." He paused, but Emma made no move to face him. "She didn't remember anything about that night. In fact, when I brought it up tonight when I saw her at the bar, she laughed so hard she thought I'd made it up."

Slowly, Emma turned around and looked deep in Killian's eyes, searching for the lie. She came up short.

"I have never," Killian continued, gazing right back at Emma, "and could never, have feelings for her when my heart belongs to someone else. It's always belonged to someone else." He inched forward until he could bring his hand to tenderly cup her face. "Emma, I…"

But Emma fisted her hands in his jacket and yanked him down to kiss her. He immediately responded in equal fervour, giving and taking, and letting his hands explore the expanse of her back, her neck, her hair. Parting briefly, she breathed him in before meeting his lips once more. For two people who'd quickly learned what to say to anger and annoy the other, Emma shouldn't have been surprised that learning the other's kiss came even easier.

Nipping at his bottom lip, he opened eagerly and they leaned further into each other. She carded her fingers through his thick black hair and tugged him closer, relishing in the soft moans he made. He circled both arms around her waist and _damn,_ that man could kiss.

Emma's head was reeling. Killian had never been involved with Milah? He'd wanted to be with Emma the whole time? With so many thoughts and questions running through her head, she could hardly register what was happening before she felt her back hit the solid door of her suite.

"Stop thinking, love," Killian breathed hotly into her neck, placing open-mouthed kisses down to her shoulder. All coherent thoughts flew out of her mind when she felt him nibbling at her pulse point, his hands settling on her waist. He paused his perusal of her neck to catch his breath, their eyes meeting in a lusty haze.

"We'll have plenty of time to talk, if you desire, Swan, but I think you can agree that we've waited for this long enough." Killian's voice was husky and it sent shivers all the way through her body.

She brought her hands up to his face, tracing the scruff along his jaw, as if trying to remind herself that this was actually happening. Looking up at his earnest eyes, Emma saw hope and caring behind the passion and her heart fluttered all over again.

Slowly, she brought her lips up to his once more. This kiss was tender and gentle, but the heat was still simmering beneath. When they parted, Emma gave him the first genuine smile she'd given anyone in months.

Grabbing Killian's hand, Emma led him inside.

Later that night, with nothing but darkness and sheets surrounding them, Emma and Killian reminisced about the journey that brought them together.

"And then you bloody pulled me right in after you!" Killian exclaimed, pinching Emma's side as she curled further into him. She giggled in response, thinking back on their very first meeting beside the pool that night ten years ago, and Killian had never heard such a lovely sound. "I had no idea back then that meeting you would change my life forever."

"To think we annoyed each other for so many years," Emma snickered. "No one would have ever guessed we would end up like this."

"Well, I certainly hope your parents never imagined us in this situation," Killian joked, sliding his hand further and further down her back…

"Oh, you know what I mean," Emma retorted, but she exhaled a breathy laugh.

"Aye, Swan. I do." Emma snuggled further into him, nudging his collarbone with her nose as he rested his head on hers. They lay like that for a while, warm and utterly smitten with the other.

"I'm sorry," Emma whispered into the dark, the words muttered into his chest as her hand idly played with the soft smattering of hair that lay there, "for everything over these last few months." She felt him shift so he could look down at her face.

"It is all forgiven, Swan," he said with such conviction it made Emma's heart melt just a little more. "In fact, it is I who should be apologizing. I had no idea you witnessed what happened at that Christmas party, and it meant nothing to me so I never thought to tell…"

"Hey," Emma interrupted, hearing the guilt in his voice. She ran her fingers up to his cheek and through his hair before settling her hand at the base of his neck. "We're together now, okay? All of that is behind us." She placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"Together," Killian agreed wearily, tugging Emma impossible closer and nuzzling into her hair as sleep overtook them.

The next day, the last day of the amateur and youth tournaments, Emma was on fire. She was playing her best round of golf ever, and had climbed into second place with only two holes to go. Waiting for her turn on the 17th hole, Emma and Killian were discussing the best way to avoid the giant sand trap in the middle. In contrast to the past days of the tournament, their knowledge finally came together, both acknowledging the point of view of the other. Emma was no longer too proud to allow her caddy to offer his opinion, and Killian was more supportive than ever.

As Emma walked up to the tee and started putting on her glove, she scanned the crowd gathering along the hole. Emma was the last golfer of the day, and since she was only one stroke behind, everyone was watching to see if she would come out on top. The golfer in first place, Archie Hopper, was done for the day so Emma only needed to birdie one hole to tie, or both to win.

She spotted Henry eagerly peering over the rope that lined the course, sporting the shiny gold medal he'd won just hours earlier that day. Emma gave him a wave and his face broke out into an even bigger grin before he waved right back. Suddenly, right beside Henry, a familiar head of brown hair with red streaks came into view.

"Ruby!" Emma's best friend rushed to the tee, the security guards recognizing her and letting her pass. She barrelled into Emma and gave her a huge hug. "How are you here?" Emma asked when they parted.

"Robin's been keeping me updated, and Granny's been doing much better," Ruby explained. "She's here actually." Ruby motioned back to the crowd she'd come through and Emma saw Granny in a wheelchair. "She's not exactly pleased with the wheelchair, but it was the only way we were allowed to come and see you win. You're so close!"

"I hate to break up the happy reunion," Killian said as he came over to the girls, "but you're up, Emma."

Bidding Ruby a quick goodbye, Emma focussed back in on her goal. She had her best friend by her side once more, her parents cheering her on in the crowd, and her… whatever Killian was to her now, right beside her. Emma had never felt more confident.

Taking a few practice swings with the club Killian recommended, Emma took a few deep breaths. She'd played this course hundreds of times, but the tournaments still made her nervous. She stepped up to the ball and took her swing.

Her birdie on hole 17 evened her score with first place, and the whole tournament now came down to Emma's final putt on the 18th green. She felt slightly nauseous as she crouched by her ball, examining the gentle slope the green made towards the hole. Killian crouched beside her to survey the pitch as well.

Emma stared hard at the hole, wishing it would swallow her up. Not once in her life had she felt this amount of pressure. It wasn't even a hard shot and she'd birdied the 18th hundreds of times. She was only four feet, but it felt like a mile.

"You can do this, Swan," Killian whispered, knowing that she was no longer examining the green, but stalling. "You've made this shot more times than I can count, and often against me," he added, trying to loosen her up with some humour.

She felt his hand nudge hers as he handed Emma her putter and stood up. Emma shakily rose to her feet and positioned herself behind her ball. Steadying her hands by breathing as deep as she could, she put herself into focus mode. She blocked out every sound around her and readjusted her grip. It was now or never.

Bringing her putter back ever so slightly, she let it swing and felt the connection to her ball resonate in her hands. She kept her eyes trained on the ball as she continued to ignore the shouts of the crowd. Watching it roll and roll and roll, Emma noticed every blade of grass it passed. She watched it spin and redirect itself towards the hole on the slope. It disappeared with a tiny _thunk_ ,and suddenly all the sound came rushing back into Emma's ears as the crowd went crazy.

She won. Emma won the amateur tournament.

Letting her club fall to the ground, she turned and saw Killian running towards her. Emma leapt into his arms and Killian spun her around. They could feel each other smiling. Around them, Ruby, Robin and Emma's parents tumbled onto the green, but Emma and Killian were too wrapped up in each other to care.

"We did it," Emma yelled over the crowd, still hugging her caddy.

"You did it, Swan," he replied, pulling back to meet Emma's contagious grin. He registered the fact that there were others who wished to congratulate her, and stepped back. Emma, however, was not quite done with him.

She pulled him back to her for a kiss, not caring who saw them. If she hadn't been so concentrated on the man before her, she'd have noticed the extra swell in the crowd's cheers, her parents exchanging knowing looks, and Ruby holding out her hand while Robin handed over a twenty-dollar bill.

The party that night was nothing but an endless celebration. Emma and Henry got to sit at the champions table with their plus-ones; Emma with Killian, who had proudly stayed by her side as she made her rounds of the room, and Henry with a girl named Violet that Emma couldn't wait to tease him about.

"Your last putt was insane!" Emma complimented the youth champion as they ate their desserts. She'd made sure to take the time to watch as much of the youth competition as possible, remembering the days when she'd see the amateurs and sometimes pros coming out to watch them. "You must have been 20 feet from the hole!" Henry blushed at his idol's praise and shrugged.

"It wasn't as exciting as your round! I can't believe you pulled off a birdie on the 18th," he said in awe.

"Me neither," Emma said with a laugh. "You sticking around for next week?" Henry nodded as his mouth was full of crème brûlée. "Would you be interested in playing a round or two with me and Killian?" Henry's eyes bugged out of his head and Emma thought the poor kid was going to choke on his dessert.

"I… I'd love to," he answered finally, turning excitedly to Violet to tell her what had just happened. With a small smile on her face, Emma swiveled in her chair to face Killian.

"Hey," she said, poking him in the arm to tear his gaze away from his lemon tart. He really did love the resort desserts. "Did you ever think we'd be sitting her tonight?"

Killian looked around in awe at the bustle of people, the golfers who'd become good friends on the fairways sharing drinks and heard the light music playing in the background.

"The moment I saw you tee-off this morning, I had no doubt in my mind whatsoever that this is where you would be. I'm glad I get to share it with you." He took Emma's hand in his and kissed it lightly before looking right into her eyes. "I'm proud of you, Swan."

"Alright, lovebirds. Let me congratulate my other granddaughter then you can go back to canoodling."

Sliding out of her seat, Emma laughed and gave Granny a delicate hug. She'd been so worried about Granny the whole tournament, when she saw the familiar face in the crowd, it was like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Don't let this one get away, Emma," the older woman whispered into her ear. "Without him, I wouldn't have been able to come and see you win."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, pulling back and looking at Killian questioningly.

"This young man used his British charm and convinced my nurse to let me come down for the day, and he arranged our transportation and everything," Granny said appraisingly.

Killian gave Emma a sheepish grin and she was at a loss for words. How had he managed a surprise on top of everything else he was dealing with that week? It dawned on Emma that he had to have organized it sometime before they'd reconciled because she'd been with him since that point. He was always looking out for her even when she didn't deserve him.

"Thought you should know, dear. You come visit soon, okay?" Granny bid Emma a quick goodbye and gave Killian a wink. Emma sat back down, trying to process what Granny had just told her.

"You did that for me?" Emma wondered how she ever could have hated the beautiful, caring man beside her. He nodded and Emma kissed him, pouring everything she was feeling in that moment into the kiss. When they parted, she rested her forehead against his. Emma was so in love with Killian Jones.

"Where are we going?" Killian was leading Emma away from the twinkling red and green lights with his hand in hers as the 10th verse of the Twelve Days of Christmas faded into the background.

"Nearly there, love."

The last few months with Killian had been amazing. The passion with which they had previously fought had translated to their relationship by intensifying the feelings they felt for each other. Sure, they still fought, but never with the same vehement malice as before. Emma also never used to be the most affectionate person, but Killian seemed to bring that out of her as well.

"Alright, Swan. Look up," Killian said, coming to a halt in the middle of some random hallway. _Mistletoe_.

"You know you don't need an excuse to kiss me, right?" Emma teased, sauntering forward until her body was pressed up against his. She felt his hands settle at her waist.

"I know, but I thought you might want a break from the holiday mania for a moment with your devilishly handsome boyfriend," he said before leaning in to kiss her. The kiss was gentle, yet passionate, all-consuming and full of adoration; all the things that Emma loved most about Killian.

After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart, swaying together in the hallway under the mistletoe and too wrapped up in each other to move.

"Killian," Emma mumbled into his shirt before pulling back to meet his gaze. The different shades of blue in his eyes were easy to pick out when she was so close. "I love you," Emma declared softly. She heard Killian's breath hitch.

"I love you, too," he breathed, and Emma couldn't help but kiss him again.

"Just so you know," Emma said as they slowly made their way back to the party, "just because I love you doesn't mean I'll go any easier on you on the golf course." Killian's laugh echoed through the halls.

"Duly noted, my love."

 _Fin._


End file.
